Washing machine



Nov. 12, 1935. F. M. WATKINS 2,020,444

WASHING MACHINE V I Fild Ma roh 4-, 1935 2 Sheets-sheaf. 1

INVENTOR.

WM ATTORNEYS NW. 12, 1935; F, M, WATKINS 2,020,444

WASHING MACHINE Filed March 4, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'v INVENTOR.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WASHING MACHINE Frank M. Watkins, Cincinnati, Ohio Application March 4, 1935, Serial No. 9,172

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in slide doors, primarily for commercial laundry washing machines and for either the inner revolvin cylinder or outer drum, or for both.

The prevailing types of commercial laundry washing machines comprises a stationary outer cylindrical drum, of either wood or metal construction, and an inner cylinder, of either wood or metal construction, journalled in the oppositev heads of the outer cylinder or. drum for revolving in alternate directions. Both the outer drum and the inner cylinder have doors forming a section of the periphery of the-cylinders, the doors either hinged to swing outwardly and upwardly, or to slide in an are about or within the cylinder. Such types of doors, particularly for the inner cylinder, must be securely locked to prevent them from opening under the weight of the washing within the cylinder and also against opening under any radial or circumferential forces resulting from the rotative motion of the cylinder and reversing direction of rotation.

In the door structure or unit of the present invention the door or doors are slidable in a direction longitudinally of the cylinder, or sidewise of the opening, to slide on or within straight, horizontal tracks or slideways and preferably in a removable'door opening framing. The door is therefore opened in a direction lateral to any radial or centrifugal forces imposed thereagainst by the agitated contents in the cylinder resulting from the rotating propulsion of the cylinder.

The doors cannot be accidentally forced open, as in the case of swinging doors, thus eliminating the use of heavy and securely locked bolts to hold the door closed. The doors cannot be jarred open by impact produced by a change in the rotative inertia of the cylinder, as can occur with doors sliding in an arc, the impact resulting in a change in direction of cylinder rotation, the cylinder-being rotated for periods in alternating directions of rotation. I

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a Washing machine having an inner rotatable Washer cylinder with a sliding door structure or unit, respectively for both outer drum and inner cylinder, and particularly for the inner cylinder, with a plurality of doors slidable in a direction longitudinally of the cylinder and within straight, horizontal tracks and'relatively in different or superposed planes, sliding one door over another.

Another object of the invention is to provide sliding doors for a washing machine, the doors sliding longitudinally-and relatively in superposed, horizontal planes and locked against sliding motion by depressible latches movable radially oi the cylinder and preferably carried by one of the doors.

Various other features and advantages will be 5 more fully apparent from a description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a commercial laundry washing. machine, part of the outer shell being broken away to illustrate the inner cylinder 10 and the door assembly mounting.

Figure 2 is a view of the door and frame removed as a unit from the cylinder.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on line 3-3, Figure 2; Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 Figure 3, showing the door and door frame construction from the inside of the cylinder. Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the end door in open position being disposed over the intermediate door.

Figure 6 shows the intermediate door open and disposed beneath the end door.

- Figure 7 is a section on line 1-4 Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8 Figure 3. Figure 9 is a section disclosing a modified construction.

The door structure or unit is applicable to either wood or metal cylinders and for either new or used washing machines, and in used machines can be conveniently installed upon the cylinder for replacing either swinging or circumferentially sliding types of doors.

Referring to the drawings, I indicates the outer drum or cylinder of a commercial laundry Washing machine disposed horizontally and suitably supported by legs. A rotative inner washer cylinder 2 is concentrically journalled within the outer cylinder or drum. The shell of the inner cylinder is preferably perforated, following a general practice, and its axis is journalled in bearings in the opposite end heads of the drum and extending beyond one of the end journals for making the necessary transmission connection. The transmission is not disclosed, but may comprise any conventional or special type for rotating the inner cylinder in alternate or reverse directions.

The door structure or unit is illustrated as applied to the inner cylinder of the Washing machine, although equally applicable to the outer cylinder or drum without change in detail.

The inner cylinder is illustrated as equipped with three doors to cover an opening" or relative openings for the full length of the cylinder, 9 filatively each for an individual pocket or compartment into which the interior of the cylinder is subdivided. A three-pocket or compartment washer cylinder represents one of the most pop ular styles and has been selected as best illustrative of the various characteristics and aspects of the present invention, recognizing, however, that the number of compartments or doors, whether for a single compartment or for a plurality of compartments for a given length of cylinder, is optional and for accommodating the particular needs for various classes of work.

The door framing for the door opening is illustrated as fabricated of metal strips bolted or otherwise secured together to form a rigid frame is representative of a cheap and simple method of manufacture from standard stock materials. Special formed materials could also be employed to reduce the number of pieces or parts and probably facilitate and reduce assembly cost. Various methods of fabrication may be made without affecting any alteration in principle.

33 indicate longitudinal stiles of the door frame or sash, each having its inner edge formed to provide a plurality of parallel slideways or tracks 4-4 for the reception of an edge of a door or doors, and its opposite edge formed to furnish a flange for overlapping an adjoining margin of the cylinder in forming an opening there through.

In the method of fabrication of door frame as herein disclosed the longitudinal stiles are composed of a plurality of different width strips in superposed arrangement with a top or face strip 5 of greatest width dimension to overlap the series of under strips 6-6, at the outer edge thereof to form the equivalent of a flange for marginally overlapping an edge of the cylinder forming an opening therethrough. The pair of under strips E6 are relatively spaced apart from the top or face strip 5 by intermediate spacer strips of reduced width, the assembly forming a pair ofsuperposed parallel slideways or tracks 44 for the full length of the stile.

The stiles 33 are connected at their opposite ends by cross rail strips 88, riveted or otherwise secured to the ends of the stiles, and their opposite ends extend therebeyond for making a suitable connection to the heads of the cylinder. The cross or connecting rails 88 are curved longitudinally to present an arc conforming to the circumference of the cylinder or heads thereof.

The stiles likewise may, in cross section, be slightly curved to correspond to the circumference of the cylinder, although this is not absolutely essential.

Intermediate cross rails or strips 9-9 are employed to strengthen and reinforce the frame structure, and are preferably located to lie over the inner longitudinal ends of respective door sections when the doors are closed. These intermediate cross rails or strips likewise extend beyond the opposite sides of the stiles for con venience in securing the frame structure to the cylinder.

The doors l are formed of plain plate or sheet material preferably reinforced in any suitable manner at their opposite longitudinal ends and a may be ,of curved configuration in cross section corresponding relatively to the circumference of the cylinder, or the doors in cross section may be curved inwardly as illustrated in the modifled construction, Figure 9, to' withstand the thrust of heavy loads that may be imposed thereon and avoid the door from being spread outwardly and dislodged from the tracks or slide ways. Each door is provided with a suitable hand hold I I for manually sliding the same. The intermediate or central door of the series is provided with latches |2I2, respectively located at its opposite longitudinal ends, the latches as terminals of a spring metal strip I3 secured to and extending longitudinally of the intermediate door, or each may be secured to its own spring support if the door is of any considerable length. 10 The latches each extend through an aperture in the door so as to protrude from its face side for engagement with an end'of the next adjacent door when closed to lock the same against opening. The latches are preferably cupped to form hand holds for sliding the intermediate door.

In the arrangement shown, the opposite end doors slide in the same track, while the intermediate door slides in a second track to allow the end doors to slide operably over the intermediate door, or the intermediate door either to right or left beneath either of the end doors. This saves trackage for a three-door combination a though it is obvious that each door may slide in its own individual track.

The doors and frame form a unit easily installed upon the cylinder and the end doors are of duplicate construction and interchangeable, and no separate fitting of the doors is required for installing the same within the frame. The straight tracks provide for a free sliding of the doors and are not readily distorted.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A door structure for cylindrical washing machines, comprising a frame to marginally extend about an opening in the periphery of a cylinder of the machine, its sides extending longitudinally of the cylinder, having straight ways for slidably sup-porting doors, and a plurality of doors slidable in said ways in directions toward the heads of the cylinder, respectively, to pass over one another in opening.

2. A door structure for cylindrical washing machines, comprising a frame to marginally extend about an opening in the periphery of a cylinder of the machine, its sides extending longitudinally of the cylinder having straight ways for slidably supporting doors, a plurality of doors slidable in said ways in directions toward the heads of the cylinder, respectively, to pass over one another in opening, and means for locking the doors in closed position carried by one of the doors and cooperating with an adjoining door.

3. A door structure of the class described, comprising a frame to margin an opening in the periphery of the shell of a cylinder, having stiles provided with slide ways extending longitudinally of the cylinder for sustaining doors to slide in directions toward the heads of the cylinder, and a plurality of doors slidably mounted in said 69 ways to pass one another in opening.

4. A door structure of the class described, comprising a frame to margin an opening in the periphery of the shell of a cylinder, having stiles provided with slide ways extending longitudi nally of the cylinder for sustaining doors to slide in directions toward the heads of the cylinder,

a plurality of doors slidably mounted in said ways to pass one another in opening, and a latch for latching two adjoining doors mounted upon one 70 of the doors and movable radially of the cylinder for cooperating with an adjoining door.

5. The combination with a washing machine cylinder having a rectangular opening in the shell thereof and a plurality of straight ways at each of the opposite opening edges longitudinally of the cylinder for sustaining doors to slide in directions toward the heads of the cylinder, and a plurality of doors slidably mounted in said ways to pass one another in opening.

6. The combinationwith a washing machine cylinder having a rectangular opening in the shell thereof and a plurality of straight ways at each of the opposite opening edges longitudinally of the cylinder for sustaining doors to slide in directions toward the heads of the cylinder,

and a plurality of doors slidably mounted in said ways to pass one another in opening, and means for locking said doors in their closed position.

'7. A closure for an opening in the shell of a cylinder, comprising a frame having slide-ways in each of relative opposite sides thereof for sustaining doors to slide in directions toward the heads of the cylinder, cross rails for said frame, each at its opposite ends extending beyond the frame in a direction circumferential of the cylinder for securing the frame to the shell of the cylinder in the opening thereof, and a plurality of doors slidably mounted in said ways to pass one another in opening.

8. A closure for an opening in the shell of a cylinder, comprising rails fixed to the shell respectively for opposite sides of the closure opening, extending longitudinally of the cylinder, each providing a plurality of superposed tracks, and doors of sheet material engaged upon the rails and relative on the tracks thereof for sliding adjoining doors one over the other and in directions toward the heads of the cylinder.

FRANK M. WATKINS. 

